VICTORIA.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 717, 16 June 1852, Page 2

VICTORIA.

The following extracts of intelligence are from our files of the Melbourne Argus received b"y the Napoleon : — Melbourne Gold Circular. — The current price of gold this week has been 61s. 6d. ; but for some large lotsa higher rate has been given. There has been less gold .offered this week than any previous one, notwithstanding the large quantity received by late escorts, and " that which' is retained in the hands of the diggers, who are holding -on with .the expectation of higher rates. The scarcity may also in part be accounted for from the quantity which has found its way to Adelaide since the passing of the Bullion Act, in February last, amounting to upwards of 83,000 ounces, all of which would, have been sold in this market but for the tempting price held out to the diggers of £3 11s., many" of whom are in the belief that they will receive that price for their gold before being assayed. The export of gold still continues to Adelaide at present rates ; but some of the Sydney purchasers have ceased operations for the present, in the expectation of a fall, in price, consequent on the large quantity brought by the escort. Hitherto this bas not had the effect of lowering the 5 price; -for as the supply per escort has in-; creased, a demamThas sprung up in a corresponding degree. ' The Bank of Australasia continues^ advance on gold hypothecated for" shipment. Number of persons have arrived iv the Colony this week Bai Number of persons who have left 426 ".Addition to our population this week . . 405 The escort brought this week from — Ounces. Mount Alexander ' 21,24 1 Ballarat, including that to Geelong. . 690 21,931 Ounces. Gold previously shipped from "Victoria. . 728,847 Per Blundell, .to Londoi 6,988 Per Lord Montgomery, to- Adelaide. . . . -Per Favorite, to Sydney 1,969 Adelaide Assay Office, up to 4th i May j . . 27,101 ' ' . 768,263 Or, 32 tons 211bs. lloz., which, at 60s. per oz. amounts t<? £2,304,789. Exchange on London on drafts against gold hypothecated, 40s. per ounce, and 1Q X per cent, discount by the Bank of Australasia. Freight of gold, 4d. per ounce. ' ' * ' , EDWARD KHULL, Bullion Broker. 55 Collins-street, West, May 15, 1852.' Forest Crbek. — Great apprehensions are felt for Mr. Wm.~Ank'etel£ a young man who has resided some tiriae on -the Creek, and brother to Mr. John Anketell, storekeeper. He left his .tent Some ten evenings ago, taking.with him a pair 6f' pistols, and has not since been heard of. fear he has fallen into one of the many deep holes, others, that he has been murdered. A death occurred hereyesterday-from natural causes, and the. body will be added to the many interred in the Gold-diggers Cemetery, one certainly not very creditable to them considering the trifle it would cost' each to have the same fenced in. 'We have had rain at last and plenty of it; on Saturday, Sutiday, and Monday the rain fell in torrents, most of the holes are full- of water, and intending diggers may come now as soon as they like. Cradles are rocking in all directions, and the Creek is once more alive with busy men. Although the water has benefited us in one way, it lias injured us in another; tfie roads are almost impassable, drays are stuck in all directions ; from the Lyneton bridge" to the- hill on the further- side of the .Black Creek is 'one\ line of. bog- ; the '• rich black soil" Tallowing carts to sink to the axle in places. The Back Creek is also bad, and likely to become impassable unless Government bestir themselves. As one riears the Diggings, the roads become deep in mud_^kere-t&rs\irfece,J?fli^-been cut away, and jttffless stones are spread over the surface these places will become dangerous. ' The road, on the Diggings- which 1 alluded to some time since, has proved that I was correct in my opinion in the utter inutility of filling up the deep hojes with . loo&e, earth ; the rain has caused them to become dray and man trap's, no less than seven of the former are body deep, and some of the holes have sunk or settled three feet down. The Kyneton bridge has answered well (as ..one. of your correspondents remarked) until the present rain, but it is' any thing out pleasant to cro^s, two large holes paying appeared in the centre from the .later r^s, und

unless filled up with .stones will-shortly become dangerous. „ The Coliban bridge is' finished at last, and the workman, or overseer, certainly deserves credit for the superior j work he has turned out, the planking being- nearly all new, a good doating of gravel, .arid over that a body pf stone 6 inches thick-,' has made a job of it likely to last the winter. At Carlsrhue the road is in a shocking atate-; a body of men put on for a few days might improve it greatly, and a small bridge thrown across the'gap in. the proper place might save a distance of half a mile, and make a much better t road. A paragraph in the Goulbourn Hetald states "that — "So great, is the demand for fire-arms for Port. Phillip, that* an invoice amounting to £86, was sold lately, by public auction, in Sydney, for little less than £600!" The, Bendigo. — In addition to the stations at Mount Alexander, Mr. Mather has contracted with Government for the erection of a central station,- and several out-stations at the Bendigo gold fields, the progress already made by this gentleman on Forest Greek, and the substantial style in which hi& -work is^ executed,, are ■highly creditable. The main station' is- ta be near Black's Store, at the foot of the Golden Gulley f and one of the branch stations is about three miles up the Bendigo, the other about two miles on ' the Porcupine Inn Road, towards the gap. - i The Fioous.^The rains with, which we have been visitsd have, in ,the length of their continuance and in their heaviness, far exceeded the rains of 'any former autumn, and the riversand creeks in the ..neighbourhood of Geelong, have never before risen so high at this time of year ; and some of them — the Duck*l*onds, the Little River, and the Wjerriby — : have attained a height hitherto unknown at any season. There is a rumour in town that the inhabitants ©f, Bacchus Marsh had to take to the hills to save their lives. The Duck Ponds, which do not jrua at all. in many years, rose five feet abovethe highest flood mark known. — Geelong Advertiser.